The calamitous Bahrain grand prix saga has not jeopardised the island Kingdom’s future on the F1 calendar.

That is the strident claim of Bernie Ecclestone, after the F1 chief executive and FIA president Jean Todt displayed rare unity as they insisted the country’s civil and political problems would not affect the grand prix.

But amid the bubbling Bahrain saga, Ecclestone had suggested that Bahrain might face trouble when it comes to negotiating a new contract, with the existing agreement only set to extend for three more years.

However, when asked by Reuters if F1 is going to keep returning to Bahrain despite this year’s troubles, Ecclestone insisted on Sunday before leaving the Persian Gulf: “Absolutely. Forever. No problem.”

Like Todt, he even played down the damage done to F1′s reputation this weekend.

“I think it’s good because people talk about things, you know. You know what they say — there is no such thing as bad publicity,” said Ecclestone.

In truth, reputation damage has undoubtedly been done. But Roger Benoit, the veteran correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Blick, admitted he is dismayed with how politics interfered with sport so strikingly this weekend.

“On all continents, somewhere, all hell is breaking loose. And as a formula one reporter, you’re flying around this globe two or three times a year,” he wrote.

“We go to countries that are politically explosive. Where human rights are violated, where poverty reigns.

“But we hardly talk about it — not in China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore or Brazil. In 2014, we’re going to Russia.

“Years ago, our circus happily danced around in apartheid South Africa, and the military dictatorship of Argentina.

“Formula one is pure entertainment. Detached from the problems of the world. But here, in Bahrain, every reporter entered the political field, whether he liked to or not,” wrote Benoit.

So that is why Ecclestone is unapologetic, after championing the Bahrain grand prix.

“Because, basically, the problems they have in Bahrain have nothing to do with F1,” the 81-year-old told El Pais newspaper.

“The relevant agencies gave the nod as far as security was concerned, and I think it is clear that they were not wrong.”

He also sees no problem with F1 being used as a political tool.

“Governments want to have an F1 race for the same reason as they want the Olympics. We come to agreements with the promoters and, if that’s good for the country, fine,” said Ecclestone.

Fernando Alonso has played down not only Lewis Hamilton’s recent struggles, but also Sebastian Vettel’s unprecedented success.

“I think Hamilton is not doing so poorly, or that Vettel is going to win seven titles in a row,” the Ferrari driver told EFE news agency in Korea.

Spaniard Alonso, now overtaken by Vettel as F1′s youngest ever double world champion, baulked at claims the Red Bull driver’s success is “not fair”.

“No, no. It’s always fair,” he smiled.

“What happens is that it is always more and more, whether you succeed or fail. When things go well it becomes easier, and when it goes wrong it gets harder.

“This is a sport with a lot of publicity and a race every 15 days,” added Alonso.

“Everyone thought that when I won the two titles I would win a few more in a row but I did not. Then Hamilton came a point within the championship in his first season, he won the second and he looked like he was going to win 10.

“Then it looked like it would be the decade of the Brawn (team) but they won only once, and Red Bull has won two in a row with a phenomenal job but we will see what happens next year,” he said.

Lewis Hamilton swerved a conviction but not a $500 fine after a court hearing in Melbourne on Tuesday.

The 2008 world champion, who did not travel to Australia for the hearing, was arrested, charged and summonsed for driving dangerously near the Albert Park circuit during March’s grand prix weekend.

He was represented by a lawyer in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, who pleaded guilty on the 25-year-old Briton’s behalf.

Lawyer Sandip Mukerjea said the McLaren driver, who addressed two letters to the court, suffered “embarrassment, humiliation and distress” over the incident due to the widespread media coverage.

In one of the letters, Hamilton said the incident was due to a “momentary lapse of judgement” that had caused “immense” publicity that was a “form of punishment”.

He also insisted that he was “in control of the car at all times”.

His lawyer asked that a conviction not be recorded because it may impede Hamilton’s ability to travel internationally.

The FIA also provided the court with a character reference.

The magistrate said Hamilton escaped conviction because it was his first offense, but “this is about somebody in a responsible position behaving like a hoon”.

“It doesn’t show the general application of the level of responsibility and maturity that he must use every day on the race track,” added magistrate Clive Alsop.

Jun.9 (GMM)  F1 drivers could be penalised by the FIA if they behave badly on the roads, Jean Todt has suggested.

Lewis Hamilton was arrested after caught ‘hoon’ driving in Melbourne earlier this year and later charged and summoned to court.

But when asked about the incident in Turkey two weeks ago, the McLaren driver said the local authorities were “loving the publicity”.

Victorian traffic commissioner Ken Lay was unimpressed with Hamilton’s “flippant” reaction.  “The bottom line is people die on our roads because of hoon behaviour and he has set a really bad example,” he said.

Also apparently unimpressed is FIA president Todt, who was rumoured to be considering commissioning a protocols list informing drivers about respecting the unique rules and practices of each GP host nation they visit.

It has additionally been rumoured that drivers could face FIA penalties if convicted of committing traffic offenses.

“I have actually asked this question,” Todt admitted to the French newspaper Le Parisien.

“There is an incompatibility between the status of a role model champion, and a possible infringement on the road.  We are therefore trying to see whether to do something, and how.”

Vijay Mallya and Bernie Ecclestone on Thursday indicated they do not believe Karun Chandhok is a first-class formula one driver.

In a joint interview published by F1′s official website, the pair admitted the desire to see a top Indian driver on the grid.

Mallya, the Indian billionaire owner and boss of the Force India team, currently fields a German-Italian driver combination, with Scot Paul di Resta as the Friday test driver.

Asked if it is important to eventually have an Indian at the wheel, he answered: “It is very important.  I would love it.  I’m not a fool and can see the enormous publicity potential which would come from it.

“The downside at the moment is that there is not one Indian pilot who has the potential to battle the best on the track,” added Mallya.

26-year-old Chennai-born Chandhok debuted in 2010 for the struggling new Spanish team HRT, and on Thursday he toured the site of next year’s F1 race in Delhi.

The Indian GP project is strongly backed by Ecclestone, who is openly pushing to tap the impressive new markets like India’s.

But although Chandhok was strongly supported by family friend Ecclestone for the seat, the F1 chief executive also seemed to indicate that an Indian is not yet ready to be on the pace.

And the 79-year-old said a struggling Indian at Force India “would be extremely negative”.

“In this case Vijay would have achieved the exact opposite of what he wanted to.  To choose an Indian driver who just runs after all the others is no use to anybody.  It would be counterproductive,” added the Briton.

(GMM)